Wednesday, January 16, 2013

"Then
the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the oak tree at Ophrah,
which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash had
been threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from
the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, "Mighty
man of valor, the Lord is with you!"~ Judges 6:11 & 12 ~
I specifically remember that moment several years ago as
I walked into the kitchen. The beautiful picturesque window beheld such
beauty as the golf course was surrounded by beautiful trees; leading down a
hill as if I could see for miles. Something caught my attention as the rays of the sun peered through the large windows. The light of the sun
reflecting none other than photographs on the breakfast table. Curiosity led me closer as I realized that the faces in
the photographs were family; my sisters and their families,
my family, dad and mom and others as I could clearly see fingerprints revealing the evidence
that someone had touched each face over and over again. There on the table was the Bible
and the photographs along with an adorable coffee cup, decorated with a beautiful quote, "Hem your day with prayer so that the day does not go
unraveled."~ Anonymous.

These photographs that captured my attention belong to my parents. Mom has pictures of each of us, her children, our spouses, her grandchildren,
dad, herself and others. It's amazing to see the pictures of what I
would call my beginning. It started with my parents, who begat three
daughters and each daughter married as we altogether, at the time, had 7
children.

It is amazing that she prays for three
generations every day and prays for the generations after her
grandchildren. She touches each face as she lifts each person to the
Lord and covers them in prayer by faith calling forth those things of
God upon each of our lives. It is amazing to know the steadfastness,
love and investment she makes over her family on a daily basis in
prayer. It blesses me to know that we are covered, saturated and
drenched in the prayers of my mother unto Jesus Christ who is at the
right hand of the Father.

As she prays over three
generations it leads me to a smile as those passages in the Bible that
are many times so frustrating to read. Mentioning a few, such as Genesis 5, Numbers 1-3,
and I Chronicles 1-9. Attempting to read all the names that I have no
idea how to say; I have even said to myself admitting this to God, "Who
cares....", yet through those 'boring' scriptures it reveals that God is
so into the generations. I heard it said once by a well known pastor,
"When God looks at us, He not only see us, but He sees the generations
after us." It is a WOW and aweing thought to attempt to comprehend.

This
leads me to see that without faith it is impossible to please God. Why?
Well, first of all because God is Faith, and He also utilizes faith on
our behalf. We in faith have to remember that there are people connected
to us that are not born at this moment. Maybe future children, future
grandchildren. Nonetheless, God knows them at this moment, before they
have been formed in their mother's womb (Psalm 139).

Think
about this for a moment...when God saw Gideon (Judges 6), this man who was trying to hide
the wheat in the threshing floor to keep whatever was left from the enemies;
the Midianites that were taking all of their resources, the angel of the Lord comes
to him and says, "The Lord says of you Gideon that you are a mighty man
of valor."

I have to confess that when I have read
that, I laugh. The reason is because where he was in that moment was
FAR from a mighty man of valor. Yet it is so powerful to see God speak
in faith over Gideon what He was destined to become. He didn't speak over Him
what He saw in that moment, instead He spoke His divine purpose and that was 'a mighty man of valor and courage'.

Can
you imagine if God spoke over us what He saw at this present moment? Some of us would be doomed. Yet, because of God's Eternal nature, He knows what is to come
before it happens; however to know that He calls us to do things that He
has already purposed us to do is truly incredible.

Just as my mom so passionately prays over the faces that she has intentionally placed before her every morning, I am reminded to hold close to my heart and pray for the ones that will one day walk this earth who will one
day be living out what she has prayed.

At this very moment, I am triumphantly and victoriously reminded to "Hem the 'scene' of hope in God today with praying and echoing His Word so that the 'scene' of hope in God tomorrow does not unravel."

Monday, January 7, 2013

"Be strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS might."
~ Ephesians 6:10 ~

Howling winds assist the crashing waves as they echo like cymbals against the rocks and the soft, sandy sea shore. Orchestrated with violent force, the gigantic waves pulsate with incredible, supernatural force breaking the stable and unstable structures alike.

Do you have those moments of feeling as though you are being violently thrown back and forth; wavered and tossed by the waves of the sea called, "Unknowing"?

There are going to be those moments in which life has you feeling as though you are clinging to the boat that could potentially cap size. You barely have the strength to hold on and as you're about to give up the crashing waves make it that much more difficult to see any hope to survive.

Whether rejection of others has side-swiped you, or condemnation of the past haunts you, perhaps the victories of yesterday attempt to convince you that your best has come and gone; then those are the moments we can rest and relax in the Life Preserver Who reveals His future and hope.

Today, I am triumphantly and victoriously reminded that Jesus is the Peace in the midst of the Storm.
He is The Living Water that sustains us as the roaring waves attempt to drown our faith;
The Holy Wind that sends resuscitating refreshment;
The Immovable Rock that we can hide and take refuge in.
He is the Anchor that keeps us from drifting away in the fears of the unknown.

No matter how loud the howling of the winds or the symphonic-like cymbal jolting waves that attempt to shake us; may we experience His mighty strength that is beautifully revealed by the Wind of God's Holy Spirit allowing us to stare into the caring eyes of God's Word.

Although the unknowing waves move us, may we realize how our faith in Him be can be immovable as we truly remember that absolutely NOTHING takes Him by surprise. Let trust in Him arise from the depths of the ocean floor of our hearts.

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Salvation Prayer

Do you want to live in Victory every day? To live in it, you get to live in HIM WHO is Victory and His name is Jesus!
Simply pray this prayer and in this prayer you will hunger and thirst for God revealed by Jesus all the days of your life - you are as a graceful pillar carved to beautify a palace - you will flourish in God like a well nurtured oak tree and will continuously encourage others to see with victory in the midst of difficulty not because of who you are - but because of WHO JESUS IS WITHIN YOU!
"Father in the Name of Jesus, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, I thank You for who You are. You are my Provider of Salvation and everything and anything else that is from the Father God. Thank You for rescuing me from me and my old way of thinking. Thank You Lord that I now have the mind of Christ. Every time I need a reminder, I go back to the Cross that You Jesus willingly died upon. You died a criminal's death and yet were innocent and that is WHY your Name is above every name - because God gave you that Name that is ABOVE every name and at that name, every knee WILL bow down and EVERY TONGUE will confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD as I do today. JESUS YOU ARE MY SAVIOR AND YOU ARE MY LORD. I receive every thing you have for me. Thank You for Your hand that has touched me to live a life of YOUR radical love so that YOUR Love is transferred through me so now I can love myself how You intended and love others in the same way! Wow God! I'm new in every way - thank YOU Jesus for Your Holy Spirit Who now lives within me and ALSO I ask You Father to baptize me with Your Holy Spirit so that I can be a witness of You wherever I go...not just with words, but even in my conduct! I receive every part of You in Jesus name. It is Finished, which is what it means when I say, Amen!"
If you said this prayer and you want the next steps? Please contact me TODAY at tacriswell2@yahoo.com